Mummy and the Maverick. Meg Maxwell

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       Chapter Two

      Autry watched the brunette with the dark eyes try to snag the waitress’s attention at least five times. She wasn’t having any luck. Which gave him his perfect in. He asked the bartender for two of the finest craft beers and got an eye roll and two drafts on tap.

      “I keep telling you, Autry,” his brother Walker said. “This is Rust Creek Falls. And a dive bar in Rust Creek Falls. We don’t do twelve-dollar bottles of beer here.” His brother’s wedding band glinted in the dim lighting.

      “And two beers?” Hudson asked with a grin. “You got here, what? Five minutes ago? And you already have your eye on someone?”

      Autry smiled. “I’m in town for three weeks. That’s a long time. And you two have wives now and lives outside Jones Holdings. I need something to fill the hours.”

      “Careful, brother,” Walker said, running a hand through his dirty-blond hair. “There’s something in the water here. It got me. It got Hudson. It’s gonna get you.”

      “Not a chance,” Autry said, his gaze on the luscious brunette beauty. Had a woman in jean shorts and a yellow T-shirt ever been so stunning? “End of August, I’ll be in Paris. As single as ever.”

      “If you say so,” Hudson said, raising his beer glass at Autry.

      Autry caught the smirk Hudson gave Walker. No matter what, it sure was nice to see Walker and Hudson together. Joking, laughing, sharing a beer. Once, back when they were all kids, Walker and Hudson had been close. But they hadn’t been for years. Looked like being neighbors had changed that some.

      A woman standing next to them with a baby in her arms turned to Walker. “Hey, Walker, will you hold Jackson for me for a moment while I go hug my aunt and uncle?”

      “You bet, Candace,” Walker said, taking the baby as if he did this sort of thing all the time.

      Walker Jones. The Third. With a baby in his arms. Bouncing it a bit and making baby talk. “Who’s a cute one?” Walker said, nuzzling his nose at the tiny tot.

      Good Lord. What planet was Autry on? Was Rust Creek Falls in another dimension?

      And there really were babies everywhere. Even in bars. Though, granted, tonight was a special occasion. From the looks of the place, the entire town had turned up to watch The Great Roundup. With all the buzz Autry had heard about the show in the ten minutes he’d been in the Ace in the Hole, he was excited to watch. Cowboys competing for a million bucks? Hell yeah. That was his kind of TV. The Jones family might be millionaires, but they were cowboys at heart. Autry’s first memory was of being on the back of a horse. And the first gift he’d ever gotten? A “piggy” bank in the shape of a stallion. Money and horses were two hallmarks of the Jones family.

      The baby’s mother returned and held out her arms for little Jackson. “You’re a peach,” she said to Walker.

      Walker, a peach? Autry couldn’t help himself. He laughed.

      Hudson grinned. “Trust me. If peachhood got Walker and me, you’re next. You’re here.”

      “I’m immune,” Autry said.

      “Sure, bro,” Hudson said with a knowing nod. He glanced toward the tables. “Bella’s waving us over to our seats. Our rib platters arrived.”

      Autry glanced at their table—two entire tables away from the brunette beauty. Way too far.

      “Let’s all go sit down,” Walker said, nodding at his wife, Lindsay, who sat next to Bella. “I’m really glad you’re here, Autry. We barely got to talk at the weddings. After the show we’ll all head over to Maverick Manor for a nightcap.” Walker clapped Autry on the shoulder, then followed Hudson across the room.

      The bartender placed the two beers Autry had ordered on the bar. “Be right there,” Autry called.

      Beers in hand, he wove his way through tables and the standing room–only crowd. There was no way in hell he could resist meeting this woman. Just as there was no chance in that same hell they’d have anything other than a few amazing weeks together before he jetted off to Paris. If she was game, what was the harm in letting something happen between them for twenty-one delicious days? And something would happen. The closer he got to her table, the more her brown eyes and her unenhanced pink-red lips drew him in. He had to know her. Well, on a superficial level.

      “Hello,” he said, nodding at the brunette and the blonde beside her. “Here you go,” he said, handing a beer to each woman. “Autry Jones, at your service.”

      “I knew you had to be a Jones brother,” the brunette said. “I’m Marissa Fuller and this is my friend Anne Lattimore. Thanks for the beers. That was very thoughtful.” She smiled and took a sip, then set down the glass and looked around. Not at him.

      Huh. Where was the flirtatiousness? Where was the fawning? Where was the sidling up to him and pressing herself against him like most women did?

      “Are you in town visiting your brothers?” Marissa asked, taking another sip of beer.

      He nodded. “For three weeks. I’m used to Tulsa, so Rust Creek Falls is a nice change.”

      “Are you staying with Walker or Hudson?” Marissa asked. “I’ll admit, sometimes I drive by Walker’s house just to look at it. It’s amazing. A mansion made entirely out of logs.”

      He smiled. “A log mansion for Walker and a beautiful ranch for Hudson. I visited both homes after their weddings back in May and June. But I’m staying at Maverick Manor.”

      Surprise crossed her pretty features. “For three weeks?”

      “I like room service,” he said. The truth was that he wasn’t close enough with either brother to feel comfortable staying with them that long. And he did like room service. Besides, Autry had gotten so used to luxury hotels that anything too homespun would feel...wrong and claustrophobic.

      She laughed. “Don’t we all.”

      Her smile had him so captivated he almost forgot where he was. But then the lights dimmed and he noticed Walker waving him over. “Autry, I’m gonna eat your share of the ribs,” his brother called.

      Marissa glanced at Walker and laughed. “Better get over there before there’s nothing but a plate of bones.”

      “Nice to meet you, Autry,” Anne said. “And thanks for the beer.”

      He. Could. Not. Make. His. Legs. Move. Away.

      “Uh, СКАЧАТЬ